The FDA has recently approved Skyla, a new hormone-releasing system that is placed in the uterus for the prevention of pregnancy. Click here to view the Press Release in PDF Format!

GENOMICS

Selling your most personal item: YouWiredIf you thought personalized advertising based on your Facebook status updates, Gmail content or online browsing behavior was creepy, just you wait. The era of genetic-based advertising is coming, and it could be just as profitable.

Gene therapy cures leukemia in 8 daysNew ScientistWithin just eight days of starting a novel gene therapy, David Aponte's "incurable" leukemia had vanished. For four other patients, the same happened within eight weeks, although one later died from a blood clot unrelated to the treatment, and another after relapsing.

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Obesity tied to DNA regulationMedPage TodayBody mass index and other environmental factors likely have an impact on the way genes are expressed, researchers reported. In a genome-wide study, about 20 regions across 11 autosomes had at least one significant association between BMI and DNA methylation, researchers said.

Researchers moving closer to personalized medicine for children with cancerThe Medical NewsPediatric researchers, investigating the biology of brain tumors in children, are finding that crucial differences in how the same gene is mutated may call for different treatments. A new study offers glimpses into how scientists will be using the ongoing flood of gene-sequencing data to customize treatments based on very specific mutations in a child's tumor.

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REGENERATIVE MEDICINE

Scientists re-program cells as nerve cellsUnited Press InternationalSwedish scientists working in the field of cell therapy say they've found it's possible to re-program other cells to become nerve cells, directly in the brain. Two years ago researchers at Lund University re-programmed human skin cells into dopamine-producing nerve cells, without having to go through the stem cell stage.

Cancer cells disguised as stem cells gain extra resistanceMedical XpressWhy are certain cancer cells so resistant? The answer may be that they have either retained or acquired attributes normally found in stem cells. Stem cells are very resilient and have an exceptional capacity to protect themselves. If cancer cells are able to take on such attributes, it is no wonder that it may be difficult to get the better of them.

Are doctors' hands clean? This wristband knowsMIT Technology ReviewA startup called IntelligentM wants to make hospitals healthier by encouraging workers to clean their hands properly. Its solution is a bracelet that vibrates when the wearer has scrubbed sufficiently, giving employees a way to check their habits and letting employers know who is and isn't doing things right.

Scientists develop 'under the skin' blood-testing chipThe Wall Street JournalA tiny prototype lab-on-a-chip inserted under a patient’s skin can test for up to five substances in the blood simultaneously and give instant results via a cellphone. The half-inch-long device transmits data via Bluetooth and its Swiss developers hope it will be available to patients within four years.

Doctor-owned device suppliers deemed inherently suspectBloombergDoctor-owned businesses that act as middlemen between medical device makers and hospitals are "inherently suspect" and some of their practices may violate U.S. anti-kickback laws, a government inspector general said.

9 in 10 health plans still tied to FFS modelHealthLeaders MediaThe Catalyst for Payment Reform, an independent, nonprofit group working on behalf of large healthcare purchasers, Tuesday released its first annual National Scorecard on Payment Reform, which showed that 89.1 percent of these payments are still based on the traditional fee-for-service model and not tied to improving quality outcomes or reducing waste.

Analysis: Allergy drops a good alternative to shotsUSA TodayUnder-the-tongue drops instead of allergy shots may be a good option for some patients who suffer from allergies and allergic asthma, according to a new analysis. Researchers looked at studies in which researchers put small amounts of an inhaled allergen, such as mold and pollen, in liquid drops under the tongue. The review found that such drop therapy is a safe and effective alternative to a weekly allergy shot for boosting immunity.

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